Pocket-bank.



G. W. MARTIN & 0. ROSINE.

POCKET BANK. v APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9/1907.

Patentd 061;. 17,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1' C. W. MARTIN & C. ROSINE. POCKET BANK. APPLICATIONFILED JAN. 9, 1907.

1 Patented Oct. 17,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

" *oNrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. MARTIN AND CONRAD ROSINE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS, BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAID MARTIN.

POCKET-BANK.

Application filed January 9, 1907.

To all'whom it may concern:

Beit known that we. CHARLES W. MARTIN and CONRAD ROSINE, citizens of theUnited States, both residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPocket-Banks. of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a bank, and moreparticularly to a metal bankdesigned to be carried in the pocket.

The main object of the invention is the production of such a receptaclewherein the coins may be inserted in one end and removed when requiredfrom the other end, so that, the unlocking means which controls thewithdrawal of the coins from the bank are wholly distinct from and in noway connected with the means which are provided at the 20' receivingmouth of the bank to prevent the coins from being shaken out orotherwise extracted through the slot through which they were inserted. 7

Our bank is preferably made flat so as to neatly fit in the pocket andit is our aim to equip the same with a locking means sothat only. theholder of the key can remove the coins. This locking device is desirablymade as simple as possible, but, nevertheless it cannot be tampered withand can be operated remarkably quickly. To prevent the coins from beingshaken out of the mouth of the bank, we insert in the receiving slot apair'of spring pressed rolls which are adapted to separate as the coinis forced in and then close again to prevent its withdrawal] Anotherfeature of our invention is the joint for fastening together the twosides of the bank by means of a. strip fitting over flanges up on thetwo sides.

The preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, 'wherein Figure 1 is a face view or sideelevation of the bank; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top end of the bankshowing the slot for receiving the coins; Fig. 3 is a view looking intothe cap at the receiving end of the bank, showing the internal mechanismwhich Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

Serial No. 351,510.

bank on line 55 of Fig. 1, as viewed in the direction indicated by thearrows;' Fig. 6 is an internal view of the cap at the discharge end ofthe bank; Fig. 7 is an edge view of the bank illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig.8 is a longitudinal section on line 88 of Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a transversesection on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of' themeans in the receiving cap to retain the coins within the bank; Fig. 11s a perspective view of the locking spring in the cap at the deliveryend of the bank; Figs. 12 and 13 are each side and end views of the twoparts comprising the sides of the bank; Fig. 14 is an enlargedcross-section through the cap locked to the delivery end of the bank,showing the manner of applying a threaded key to the device forunlocking the cap; Fig. 15 is a view of the blank, two of which are usedto form the hute within the receiving cap and to guide the rollerscontrolling the receiving slot and chute; Fig. 16 is a view similar toFig. 15, indicating in dotted lines the parts adapted to be turned overon one of the blanks to form the chute; Fig. 17 is an edge view of theblank. shown in Fig. 16 after certain parts have been bent. over; Fig.18 a view of a band adapted for insertion in the receiving cap tocooperate with the chute mechanism to hold the same centrally disposedand to form a rim or telescoping portion adapted to fit within the mouthof the bank casing: and Fig. 19 is a View of a strip adapted to be bentto form a bowed place in the delivery cap to maintain the locking springin positionj'and to form a rim to fit within the end of the bank casing.

The main body of thebank casing conipriscs two sides 20, thelongitudinal edges of which are bent up as at 21 (Fig. 12) and then bentinwardly as at 22, to form flanges hook-shaped in cross-section. At thelower end of the sides each has an inwardly projecting hook. portion 23,these extending substantially at right angles from the turned up parts21, while the flanges 22 are preferably bent atan acute angle. The twosides 20 are adapted to be brought together with the flanges 22 togetherand the hook portions 23 together, the two sides being held inthisposition by binding strips 24 having converging flanges 25 along theirlongitudinal edges, these flanges co5perating with the diverging flanges22 to maintain the parts in proper position and prevent theirseparation. The casing, however, may be readily taken apart by slidingthese strips longitudinally off of the flanges 22. \Vhen the two halvesare thus joined together, the hook members 23 on the two halves form oneach side of the casing a single hook with an abrupt top edge and aninclined or tapering lower edge, as will be readily apparent from aninspection of Figs. 12- and 13. The strips 24 cooperate only with theflanges 22 and do not extend down to the hooks 23, the latter co-actingwitha locking spring described hereinafter. The top or receiving end ofthis bank casing is closed by means of a cap 26 having a slot 27 at itsupper end to receive coins. To form a chute for the coins and guide theminto the interior of the bank and at the same time to properly positionthe pair of con- ;slots 35, the latter acting as guides for the ends ofthe spring. The constructionof .the chute rollers and spring ismostclearly ,shown in the perspective view Fig. '10, to which referenceis =made. end of the bank, that is the end which may ;be unlocked, andfrom which the coin may" ibe taken, provided one has a key for thepurpose, we provide a similar cap 48 having I at its end a central roundhole 49 adapted to Within this cap were is placed a locking spring 50,whose central lpart 51 is bowed, as shown, the same having a centralrectangular aperture 52. The ends trolling rollers which partially closethe chute, we use two blanks 28 and 29 of the form shown in Fig. 15.Each of these blanks has its top edge curved at 30 to conform to thecurvature of the interior of'the top of cap 26 and along the centralportion of this curved edge is a part 31 similarly curved and adapted toextend within the slot 27 and be soldered to the edges thereof. Each ofthese blanks has a pair of oppositely extended arms 32, each of whichhas near its end a slot 33 and a projecting tongue 34. It also has twocurved slots 35 to accommodate the ends of a spiral spring, describedbelow. At its lower end each blank has a pair of apertures 36 and a pairof tongues 37. The blank 28 remains flat, as shown in Fig. 15, but theblank 29 is bent along the dotted lines 38 and 39, so that the tongues34 and 37 of the bent-over parts may pass through the slots 33 and 36,respectively, the tongues then being slightly twisted by a pair ofpincers so that the two blanks 28 and 29 are securely held togetherforming a coin space or chute between them. It will be apparent that thetongues 34 and 37 of the blank 28 have no function and the only reasonthat we make the blanks the same is to use a single die, thuseliminating an element of expense which would be incurred if the twoparts were made diflerently. As stated above, when this chute has beenthus formed, the broad tongues 31 are i receive a key.

fitted within the aperture 27 and soldered to its edges. In order tohave an additional means to maintainthe inwardly projecting part or mainbody of this chute in its normal and central position, and also to forma telescoping rim for the cap 26, we use a blank 40 of the form shown inFig. 18, this blank having a central transverse slot 41 anda tongue 42at each end which provide a similar slot at the other end of the bandwhen the same is bent to shape, so as to fit in the receiving cap 26.Blank 40 is cut on the two pairs of parallel lines 43 extended inwardlyfrom one edge whereby two tongues or projections 44- may be bent over tocontact with the sides of the chute, as shown in Fig. 3, to hold thesame firmly in position. The two slots at the ends of this i 27 and toprevent them from being removed by shaking the bank, or otherwise, weprovide within the chute a pair of rollers 45,

.which are placed between the members 28' and 29, as is clearly shown inFig. 3. To

elastically press these rollers toward each other so as to partiallyclose the passage through the chute, we use a spiral spring 46, whoseends 47 are offset through central apertures in the rollers 45 andthrough the At the delivery of this spring 53 are turned up orbent over,

leach'end having a hole 54 to cotiperate with -.one of the locking hooks23.

Extending through the rectangular aperture 52 and sol-' may be alsoapplied. A coil spring 505surrounding screw 55 may be used to.supplement the action of bowed spring 50 if necessary. This cap 48 has aband or-strip 57 within it, the band having a-slot 58, and' tongues 59which, when the band is bent to shape, provide an additional slot at theother end of the cap,- these slots being adapted to pass over hooks 23and prevent interference of l the band therewith. Thelower edge of band57 is concaved at 60 so as to conform to the bowed portion 51 of spring50,and when this band is inserted 5 within the cap and soldered in placeit prevents the spring from being removed. This band or strip 57 liesabove the bowed part a of spring ,50 and extends around the upturnedends of the spring outside of the same, this construction being securedbecause the concaved part of the spring is wider than its ends. Bymerely pushing this cap into the end of the bank casing, the upstanding,ears or projections ride over the beveled or inclined edges of hooks23, being pushed inwardly and then snap over the abrupt shoulders of thehooks so that the cap is securely locked .in place and prevented frombeing withdrawn. When it is desired to open the bank, however, andremove the accumulated coins, a key 61 internally screw threaded at 62,and shouldered at 63 is passed through the key-way 49 and turned sothat'its threads engage those of screw 55 and as soon asthe shoulder 63strikes the cap, further turning of this key of the bowed portion 51 ofthe locking spring, thereby compelling an inward movement of itsupstanding ears 53 which become detached from the hooks 23 so that thecap and its internal parts may be readil removed from the bank'casing.Before eing replaced, the key 61 is preferably unscrewed from the screw55 and a mere pushing of the cap, or rather the telescoping thereof,into the casing ,causes the engagement of the ears 53 with the hooks.

Since the cap which is; provided for permitt-in the discharge of thecoins accumulated 1n the bank is wholly. disconnected from the receivingcap, it is not at all necessary to interfere with the latter and forthat reason it may be permanently'soldered in place, if desired.

As stated above, the rollers 45 are to prevent the shaking out of thecoins after they have been once inserted and it is quite impossible topush these rollers back by any implement, without at the same timeblocking the passage, so that the coins cannot be extracted. Anotherfeature of these spring actuated rollers is that they cause a quickentrance of the coin into the bank, the coin being snapped into the bankwith more or less energy accompanied by an audible click.

All the parts of this bank are of the simplest possible construction butpractically all of them may be made by stam ing. out blanks from sheetmetal so that this pocket bank can be manufacturedat a minimum expense.

To thoseskilled in the art, it willbe a parent that various.modifications may e as made within the. scope of the appended causes achange of curvature or flattening claims in the construction describedwithout departing from the substance of our invention or sacrificing anyof its advantages.

We claim:

1. In' a bank, the combination of a casing having a passage-way throughwhich coins are adapted to pass into said casing, a pair of rollersmounted in the opposite edges of and normally partially closing saidpassageway and adapted to engage the edge of a' coin inserted throughthe latter, and spring means coiiperating with said rollers whereby whena coin is pushed into the passage-way the rollers separate in oppositionto the action of said spring to allow the coin to pass into the casingand then move toward each other to positively force the coin into thecasing and bar its outward passage therefrom, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a bank, the combination of a casing having a passage-way throughwhich coins are adapted to pass into said casing, a pair of rollersmounted in the opposite edges of and normally partially closing saidpassageway and adapted to engage the edge of a coin inserted through thelatter, a coiled spring on the ends of which saidrollers are,respectively, mounted, said spring normally urging said rollers inwardlyof the passageway, and stops limiting the inward movement of saidrollers, substantially as described.

' 3.. In a bank, the combination of a casing having a slot, a chutewithin said casing cooperating with said slot whereby coins may beintroduced through said slot and chute into said casing, a rollermounted in one edge of said chute normally partially closing the passagethrough the same, and a spring acting on said roller to maintain it innormal position but permitting an edgewise bodily movement thereof toopen the passage to allow acoin to pass therethrough, substantially asdescribed. Y

4. In a bank, the combination of a casing having a slot, a chute withinsaid casing cooperating with said slot, whereby coins may be introducedthrough said slot and chute into said casing, said chute having slots, apair of rollers in said chute normally par.- t-ially closing the passagetherethrough, and aspring to maintain said'rollers in normal positionbut permitting their separation to allow a coin to pass through thechute, said rollers being mounted on the ends of said spring, said endsfitting in and being guided by the slots in said chute, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a bank, the combination of a casing, a cap for said casing havinga slot, a chute within said casing cooperating with said slot, wherebycoins maybe introduced through said slot and chute into said casing, anda strip mounted within said cap, said strip having bent over portionsadapted to main- 'ing cooperating With said'slot, whereby coins tainsaid chute in alinement with said slot, fit Within said casing, saidstrip having bent 10 substantially as described. v over portions adaptedto hold said chute in 6. In a bank, the combination'of a casing, normalposition in alinement with said slot, a cap having a slot, a chuteWithin said cassubstantially as described.

CHARLES W. MARTIN.

may be introduced through said slot and CONRAD ROSINE.

chute into said casing, and a strip mounted in said cap and extendedbeyond its edge, said extended portion adapted to telescope or WitnessesFREDERICK G. Goonwm, WALTER M. FULLER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for a Washington, D. G.

